Gaslow question

[rob99fla]

Hi. We’ve just bought our first motorhome, a Autosleeper Nuevo 2003 in immaculate condition. I bought a second hand Gaslow kit with 2x 6kg bottles. I think I’m proficient enough and have fitted very carefully including a new bulkhead 30mBar regulator. One bottle came about 1/3 full and the other empty. I filled last night with slight trepidation but all went well filling with 18.9L before I couldn’t get any more in. I tested with leak tester spray and found a minute leak on the joining hose. This hose, I fitted a 90 degree elbow (a Gaslow one in steel) The leak is on the elbow. Easy enough to fix, I thought. Just undo and check joint mating edges and apply a little PTFE compound (not tape but proper compound for gas) but when I started to undo the joining pipe, it seemed a lot of gas came out. I quickly tightened it up again. Question is, should there be so much gas in the high pressure pipes. The main filling hose is 1.5M. Any answers please

[Ocsid]

Even if the ends of the high pressure LPG pipe are isolated off, then the high pressure gas will expand to about 250 times the trapped volume as it vents to the atmosphere. As a 1.5 metre pipe has a significant volume then expect a good bit of gas.

 

Be very careful on releasing it that you don't get frost bite from the gas stream or fitting; best left to a pro really.

[rob99fla]

Ocsid - 2019-09-01 6:50 PM

 

Even if the ends of the high pressure LPG pipe are isolated off, then the high pressure gas will expand to about 250 times the trapped volume as it vents to the atmosphere. As a 1.5 metre pipe has a significant volume then expect a good bit of gas.

 

Be very careful on releasing it that you don't get frost bite from the gas stream or fitting; best left to a pro really.

 

I sort of thought that. The problem is we’re on our first trip out tomorrow. I’m only about an hour from Gaslow but I was a bit worried that the non return valve on cylinder 1 was not operating but from what you said, it probably just gas from the hoses expanding in which case, I can undo slowly and check the gas stops. I did think that the minute leak was even smaller once I let off the pressure a bit. Anyway, thanks for the info

[Derek Uzzell]

There’s a current Galso catalogue here

 

https://tinyurl.com/y2po5qlu

 

I’m not sure whether you have a ‘single-bottle’ system or a ‘two-bottle’ one (ie. where there’s a changeover valve fitted to the regulator as shown in the “Example of typical system” section of the catalogue), but (as Ocsid has said) as the hose between the filler and the bottle(s) will contain liquid gas, undoing that hose’s connectors will result in a large amount of gas escaping as it vaporises.

 

(It’s good practice to wear sturdy gloves when refilling the system.)

[rob99fla]

Derek Uzzell - 2019-09-02 7:39 AM

 

There’s a current Galso catalogue here

 

https://tinyurl.com/y2po5qlu

 

I’m not sure whether you have a ‘single-bottle’ system or a ‘two-bottle’ one (ie. where there’s a changeover valve fitted to the regulator as shown in the “Example of typical system” section of the catalogue), but (as Ocsid has said) as the hose between the filler and the bottle(s) will contain liquid gas, undoing that hose’s connectors will result in a large amount of gas escaping as it vaporises.

 

(It’s good practice to wear sturdy gloves when refilling the system.)

 

It’s a twin bottle system. It’s the elbow that is leaking but a really tiny amount and even less this morning as I guess the fill pipes eventually empty. It doesn’t even smell of gas. I rang Gaslow this morning and the engineer suggested slightly loosing the elbow connection and then retighten again. Makes sense. I’ve decided to leave it for the moment as we’re off today for a few days and re-do the connection when we’re back. All other connections are fine with no leaks whatsoever

[Robinhood]

On a twin Gaslow system, both bottles will have a nrv on the fill connection, and it is usual for the fill point to also incorporate a nrv.

 

Thus, on filling, the fill hose will always retain gas at filling pressure. Over time some of that will probably transfer to the bottle(s) as gas is used and their pressure falls, but the fill hose will still always hold gas under pressure. I know from experience ;-)

 

Assuming the bottle nrvs are both functional, the leakage you describe shouldn't be catastrophic, but if it were me, until I could fix it I'd prefer to release the gas myself by easing off one of the fill hose connections slightly until there was no further leakage (usual precautions about sources of ignition).